Deenanath Mangeshkar

Pandit
Deenanath Mangeshkar
A commemorative postage stamp on Deenanath Mangeshkar by Govt. of India on 29th Dec 1993.
Background information
Birth name Deenanath Hardikar[1]
Also known as Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar
Master Deenanath Mangeshkar
Pandit Dennanath Hardikar
Dinanath Mangeshkar
Dina
Born (1900-12-29)29 December 1900
Mangeshi, Goa, Portuguese India (present-day Goa, India)
Died 24 April 1942(1942-04-24) (aged 41)
Poona, Bombay Presidency, British India (present-day Pune, Maharashtra, India)
Genres Classical, semi-classical, Natya Sangeet
Occupation(s) Vocalist, Singer, Marathi film producer

Pt. Deenanath Mangeshkar (29 December 1900 – 24 April 1942) was a well-known Marathi theatre actor, a renowned Natya Sangeet musician and a Hindustani classical vocalist.

He is also the father of well-known singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Meena Khadikar and Usha Mangeshkar as well as composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar.

Background

Pt. Deenanath Mangeshkar (born Deenanath Hardikar), popularly known as Dina, was born at Mangeshi, Goa on 29 December 1900.[2] His father, Ganesh Bhatt Navathe Hardikar (Abhisheki)[3][4], was a Karhade Brahmin who served as priest at the famous Mangueshi Temple in Goa. His mother Yesubai (sometimes referred to as Yesubai Rane) belonged to the Devadasi community of Goa,[2] which is now known as Gomantak Maratha Samaj. Since the family lived in Mangeshi village in Goa, and Deenanath was born there, he was given the surname "Mangeshkar," which means "of Mangesh." Incidentally, Mangesh is the name of the deity worshipped in the Mangueshi Temple.

As a Devadasi, Yesubai often sang and danced at temple events and festivals. She is said to have had an unerring genius for music. Deenanath's father's surname was Hardikar, whose family performed the Abhishekam (ritual bathing) of the lingam of Shiva at Mangueshi Temple, thus they were known as Abhishekis. Deenanath adopted the surname Mangeshkar, which means from the village of Mangeshi in Konkani and Marathi.[5] The father of the renowned Indian vocalist Jitendra Abhisheki was Deenanath's half-brother.

Career

Deenanath Mangeshkar started taking singing and music lessons from Shri Baba Mashelkar at the age of five. He was also to become a disciple at Gwalior school. He was fascinated by the variety and aggressive style of Gayanacharya Pundit Ramkrishna bua Vaze and became gandabandh shagird. In his youth, he travelled to Bikaner and took formal training in classical music from Pundit Sukhdev Prasad, father of Pundit Mani Prasad, of the Kirana Gharana. He joined the Kirloskar Sangeet Mandali and the Kirloskar Natak Mandali at the age of 11. Later, he left Kirloskar Mandali, and formed Balwant Mandali with his friends Chintamanrao Kolhatkar and Krishnarao Kolhapure. This new group had Gadkari's blessing, but shortly after the group was formed; Gadkari died in January 1919.

Deenanath's good looks and melodious voice won him popularity in the Marathi theatre. So much so that the then giant of the Marathi stage, Bal Gandharva publicly declared that he would welcome the entry of Deenanath in his organisation "by throwing a carpet of rupee coins under his feet".

During the period of 1935, he produced 3 films, one of them being Krishnarjun Yuddha. It was made in both Hindi and Marathi, and a song from it, sung by and filmed on Deenanath. Deenanath also studied Indian classical music under Ramkrishna Vaze. He also studied astrology.

Partly out of his interest in astrology and numerology, he believed that dramas with 5 letters, with anuswar (diacritical) on the third letter, were lucky for him. Examples : Ranadundubhi (रणदुंदुभी), Rajsanyas (राजसंन्यास), Deshkantak (देशकंटक).

He was the first musician to openly defy the British Empire by performing and singing songs penned by Veer Savarkar in the presence of the British Viceroy, in Simla.

The dramas produced by Deenanath were extremely popular amongst the masses due to his masterly presentation of the songs composed by Vaze Bua and the patriotic content.

Personal life

First Marriage

Deenanath's first wife was Narmada (later renamed "Shrimati" by her in-laws). She was the daughter of Seth Haridas Ramdas Lad – a prosperous businessman of the town of Thalner (between Dhule and Jalgaon (Khandesh), Maharashtra. Deenanath and Narmada were married in 1922. Deenanath changed his wife's name to "Shrimati". She was 19 at the time and Deenanath was 21.

They had a daughter named Latika, who died in her infancy. Deenanath's wife died shortly thereafter.

Second Marriage

Deenanath's second wife was his first wife's sister. Her name was Shevanti. Some sources claim that Deenanath named his second wife "Shrimati" as well. Some have her name as "Shuddhamati".

The marriage of Deenanath and Shevanti was solemnised at a quiet ceremony within the house in 1927. Shevanti's mother chose not to attend.

Deenanath and his second wife had five children: Lata, Meena, Asha, Usha, and Hridaynath.

Their first child was named Hema. But Deenanath called her Lata in memory of his deceased daughter. The name stuck and it is by that name that his legendary eldest daughter, Lata Mangeshkar, is known today.

The Surname

Deenanath was determined to take his first step in his professional life with a distinctive surname. So, he chose the last name Mangeshkar. The surname was derived from name of his family deity – Shri Mangesh (an Avatar of Lord Shiva) located at Mangeshi, Ponda, Goa.

Death

Deenanath took to alcohol during the days of financial hardship in 1930s. After being ill for a few weeks, he died in Pune in April 1942. He was only 41 at the time his death.

His family has erected a Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and research center in his name in Pune.

Theatrical Productions

Some of his theatrical productions, in which he sang and starred too, are

  • Manapaman (मानापमान) (written by K.P. Khadilkar)
  • Ranadundubhi (रणदुंदुभी) (written by Veer Vamanrao Joshi) Music composed by Vaze buwa
  • Punyaprabhaav (पुण्यप्रभाव)
  • Sanyasta Khadga (संन्यस्त खड्ग) (written by Veer Savarkar) Music composed by Vaze buwa
  • Rajsanyaas (राजसंन्यास) (written by Ram Ganesh Gadkari)
  • Deshkantak (देशकंटक)
  • Ram Rajya Viyog (रामराज्य वियोग)

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.marathisanmaan.com/biographies/great-marathas/historical-heroes/deenanath-mangeshkar
  2. 1 2 Cabral e Sá, Mário (1997). Wind of fire: the music and musicians of Goa. Promilla & Co. p. 166. ISBN 978-81-85002-19-4.
  3. ↑ https://www.geni.com/people/Ganesh-Bhatt-Abhisheki/6000000043279354943
  4. ↑ "Mangeshkar, Deenanath". Marathi VishwaKosh. Government of Maharashtra. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Bhimani, Harish (1995). In search of Lata Mangeshkar. Indus. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-81-7223-170-5.
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